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Self-publishing.

I know, I know. I said I was going to attempt querying and do the whole shebang (get an agent and we all lived happily ever after with a picket fence and 2.4 dogs, er, kids).

Anyone who’s been following my blog for a little while knows I flopped back and forth about it (don’t we all?). I spent so much time weighing the pros and cons of each – carefully and meticulously – until all cons blurred with pros and pros were cons and cons were . . . um . . . what’s going on? That was basically how it went in my head for a very long time, so I told my husband to make a decision on it. I was content with that for about a day or two, and then the mental-flopping began again. I didn’t want to blog about it because I wanted to get it sorted in my head.

I realized, after speaking with so many people, that this was a decision only I could make.

I started looking into cover artists just for curiosities sake and found one that I LOVED.

For about four days, I did nothing but flop around mentally afterward. I mulled over the word author. I’ve said it before that I will NOT call myself one unless the word aspiring is in front of it. Not yet.

One night, I looked up the definition of it. I kind of had a moment. There was no ‘traditionally published’ in the definition, of course. For one of those days, I contemplated over the word – what it meant, what it meant to other people, and what it meant to me.

Rather than focus on pros and cons, I started focusing on why. Why did I want to be published traditionally? What was drawing me to self-publishing despite the stars and rainbows and glitter of the P and the T together?

When thinking about the why . . . it fell into place.

I don’t need a publishing contract to accomplish what I’ve wanted to accomplish with this. All I want is for ONE person out there to love my books – to make an impact on a person the way that some books have impacted me. I don’t need a P and a T together for that. I don’t.

So I made the decision about a week and a half ago and I haven’t looked back since.

There hasn’t been one single flop from me, or even one second of doubting the choice I’ve made.

I don’t like posting things on here unless they’re set in stone. I’m feeling comfortable with sharing now.

I’ve been arranging things with that love-inducing cover artist and the photographer. I love them both. Seriously. Details are being figured out and things are being put in motion.

My editor had to extend the date of finishing my novel, so I won’t have it back until early to mid-October. I’m trying to get everything done that can be done until that point.

As of now, I’m shooting for early December. That’s going to depend on how everything works out, but now . . . I’ll be able to keep you all updated.

It’s so freaking weird having things moving. I spent such a long time feeling like my entire world was at a standstill.

Anyway. No more waiting. It’s time to start letting them go. I’m worried, of course, but . . . I’m feeling good. I’m excited. I never thought I’d be more excited than stressed/nervous, but . . . I am.

I think that the advantages, long term, are with self-publishing. These days pretty much all a traditional publisher can offer is an advance, and they don’t offer that much of an advance considering what they want in exchange.

I agree.
It just seems like a lot of frills and stipulations, neither of which appeal to me.
With self-publishing, everything can be the way you want it to (meaning it’s RIGHT, given that it’s your own work and you would know better than someone who likely hasn’t read more of it than the plot) – down to every detail. The extra work is worth it.
The words ‘in exchange’ don’t sound very fantastic when it comes to your novels, do they?

Good luck. It’s not an easy road, but you have a lot of WP resources to use. That’s more than a lot of other indie authors that try to go it alone. Never thought of looking up the definition of author for inspiration.

Yeah. Uphill battle, definitely. But I’m feeling quite battle-ready. It’s better than standing around for however long trying to prepare for it.

I can’t imagine trying to go it alone – without all the support/advice/everything from people on here that I’ve got already and will potentially in the future. Outstanding community on the good ol’ WP.

Looking up the definition occurred to me after reading a blog entry via Twitter about a self-published author not feeling like they were an author because they weren’t traditionally published (it was just a statement made). It was a major *sadface* moment for me. So I looked up the definition, dealt with my own demons on the matter, and moved on.
It really was inspirational.
I just wish I could remember where the hell I saw that (I shouldn’t try to do anything when first waking). In fact, I probably shouldn’t read blogs via Twitter, because I have a very difficult time remembering to post comments on them when I’m at a computer. I digress.

Best of luck with the self-pubbing. I tried to go ‘traditional’ for a year, but then eas encouraged by other writers to try the ‘indie’ route. Never looked back since. You are in control of EVERYTHING except the actual buyers. And don’t it feel good….

It really is amazing how much control you have. I’m really enjoying that aspect of it so far – much more than I thought I would, actually.
I’m glad to see other people choosing to do it for whatever reasons they have (there seem to be a LOT of reasons why people are going for it). I’m sure it’s not for everybody. I feel it’s right for me, which is . . . a nice feeling.

And YES, it DOES feel good!

Thanks for commenting.
😀

PS) I’m still getting over that picture you posted about the ‘professionals’. XD

Thanks! You should write a book about bitterness! It could be a book about that ‘hotline’ and be a list of potential (or inevitable) bitter conversations between the two people on opposite ends of the line. I’d read it! XD

STILL! Will you do me a favor and promise me that the day you sit down, put pen to paper for writing (or fingers to keyboard, whichever way you work), you will let me know? If you do me that favor, I promise I will literally jump up and down in glee about it. You won’t see it, but I promise I’ll do it.
I’m SO looking forward to reading this epic saga of yours! It sounds insane, but I’m sure I haven’t heard all the insanity of it (which leaves me – figuratively – jumping up and down in anticipation of the day I can read it).

Well, writing and plotting does happen concurrently, though more plotting than actual writing is going on – I tend to chart out the overall narrative flow within a series and throughout the saga as a whole before getting down to writing the narrative for any given book. The same goes for that rogue gallery I call my characters.

That way I have a quasi-sense of what I’m getting myself, the readers and my characters into when venturing down the rabbit hole / yellow brick road that is my Epic Saga, always mindful of the paradoxes and parallel universes that could arise.

Eventually, it’ll all make sense (at least I hope it does), and one day I’ll gather up enough courage to send out chapters to beta readers or even post excerpts online – but that day has not come. Yet.

I’m telling you . . . whenever that beast that is your Epic Saga comes out . . . there won’t be a single hole in that sucker.

I just hope you can keep control over your characters. Mine always surprise me and just do what they will.

I’m sure it will make sense. And I’m sure whatever happens in it will result in copious amounts of *mind-blown* situations for many people. My mind feels that way every time we talk about it. I’m so stoked!

I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever be courageous in the sense of being totally comfortable with people reading my novels, but I know it’s time. I feel it more ‘comfortable’ than ‘courageous’, but I’m feeling ‘courageous’ in my decision to do it/the way I’m going about it. You’ll know whenever you’re ready for readers. And when you are, put me in the line!

Who couldn’t/wouldn’t be enthused or want to encourage you? You’re awesome!

Thanks! I’ll tell you, just being able to hold the book in my hand is going to be a fantastic feeling. I think I’ll be congratulating myself in that moment for probably the first time in my entire life.
😀

I spent the past several years thinking I wanted to get an agent – that it was FOR SURE what I wanted to do. That was partially due to not knowing how to do all of this (or even how to START doing it) on my own, and partially because it was ‘the thing’ to do when it came to publishing. It’s a lot of work making sure everything is the way it should be, rather than having someone do that for you, but . . . it’s pretty awesome.

I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. I’ll be looking for news of them!
🙂

I went back and forth with it so much that I’m pretty sure I gave myself mental whiplash more than once. I’m really glad I decided what I did, no matter how difficult it is. They each have their pros and cons, and weighing all that seems impossible sometimes. For me, it was just putting it all in order and figuring out which things I could live with and which I couldn’t.